Translator: AnubisTL
Having finally embarked on the path of Immortal Cultivation, Li Qing's spirits soared. He yearned to immerse himself in Qi Refining cultivation day and night.
Unfortunately, this initial enthusiasm waned after just seven days.
Too slow!
"According to this cultivation manual, if I want to reach the First Layer of Qi Refining at this rate, it'll take at least three to four years!"
Li Qing gaped. He had been practicing almost non-stop for days, dedicating himself to Qi Refining day and night.
Yet despite his relentless efforts, he had only managed to accumulate a thin wisp of mana in his dantian—progress so negligible it was almost laughable.
"It seems the spiritual energy here is indeed too thin, allowing only a tiny amount of mana to be refined into my body with each cycle."
This inefficient cultivation left him feeling slightly disheartened.
The Earth Origin Manual contained not only the cultivation manual itself but also annotations by the Yellow-Robed Old Monster on various aspects of Immortal Cultivation.
For Li Qing, a complete novice in the Immortal Cultivation World, these annotations were invaluable, providing him with crucial insights into the practice.
For example, as he was now, he could barely be considered a Qi Refining Realm Immortal Cultivator who had just begun cultivating a basic cultivation manual, even though the mana accumulated within him was pitifully scarce.
"No wonder that Yellow-Robed Old Monster chose to leave Shengtian. If one could find a place rich in spiritual energy, it would undoubtedly be immensely beneficial for cultivation."
Li Qing's eyes flickered slightly, and he immediately made up his mind to travel far.
Although his lifespan was still abundant, he knew from the annotations on cultivation that the Qi Refining Realm was merely the starting point on the path of Immortal Cultivation.
Even this initial realm was divided into three stages.
The first three layers of Qi Refining were collectively known as the Early Qi Refining Realm. Layers four through six were called the Mid Qi Refining Realm, while Late Qi Refining Realm cultivators referred to those who had cultivated their basic cultivation manual to the seventh layer or beyond.
Above the Qi Refining Realm lay a higher realm known as Foundation Establishment!
The Yellow-Robed Old Monster didn't mention anything beyond that, as it was too distant to consider.
Even cultivating through the Qi Refining Realm was incredibly difficult. Each layer was a significant hurdle to overcome, especially for a rogue cultivator like Li Qing, who had only recently embarked on this path. Every step forward on the path of Immortal Cultivation felt like climbing to the heavens.
"Finding a place rich in spiritual energy has become a pressing matter," Li Qing murmured to himself. "But I need to prepare. Such places often attract Immortal Cultivators, and that's likely how the Immortal Cultivation World formed."
His resolve to enter the Immortal Cultivation World solidified further. The Earth Origin Manual he possessed was incomplete, covering only the first four layers of the Qi Refining Realm. No matter how diligently he practiced, he could only reach the Mid Qi Refining Realm with it. Without a subsequent cultivation manual, he'd have to switch to another Cultivation Method.
This realization finally freed Li Qing from his obsession with Qi Refining. He calmed his mind and began planning his future.
"First, I can't abandon blacksmithing. It's my foundation. But weapons forged from ordinary iron will likely become obsolete."
"I need to follow the Yellow-Robed Old Monster's example and have people search for rare metal ores and other materials. These items must hold considerable value for Immortal Cultivators."
In a few sentences, Li Qing had clearly grasped the key points. After all, the Yellow-Robed Old Monster's case served as a perfect model for him to emulate.
"There's no need to slaughter Jianghu Practitioners like Marauders. I can just collect them slowly. I have plenty of time."
This was perfect timing, as his relationship with the Maple Guard was currently quite good. He could entrust the task to them.
The second matter was finding a place rich in spiritual energy. Li Qing already had a destination in mind.
It was, of course, Small Jade Ridge, the treacherous mountain range at the border between the northern and southern regions of Maple Country!
According to Holy Monarch Tuwa Ha'er's conjecture, that vast primeval forest might harbor an Immortal Cultivation power that even the Yellow-Robed Old Monster feared.
The third matter was the World of Eternal Night.
Time flowed three times faster there. Combined with his abundant lifespan, this meant he could cultivate three times faster than ordinary people!
Moreover, the Red Fish Merchant Guild in Giant Rock City might be backed by an Immortal Cultivator. Perhaps he could try to make contact.
He might even be able to offer something similar to what those Martial Artists in Giant Rock City could provide.
"But these are long-term plans. There's no need to rush. Let's take it slow," Li Qing muttered to himself. The threads of his thoughts had become clear and distinct, and he no longer felt the anxiety he had been experiencing in recent days.
Over the next few days, Li Qing stopped his inefficient Qi Refining practice and instead focused on summarizing his own Martial Dao.
That's right. Since he had decided to trade with the Maple Guard, there would undoubtedly be benefits involved.
Although the Maple Guard owed him a favor, maintaining such a long-term relationship required mutual benefit. Relying solely on a dry favor might lead them to forget who he was in seven or eight years.
With Li Qing's current understanding of the Martial Dao, he stood at the pinnacle of the human Martial World. Thus, he began to create his own Martial Art!
He would combine the Martial Arts he had cultivated to forge an even more powerful technique.
"The Ancient Mystic Hammer Art emphasizes drawing power from the earth through the legs, coordinating waist and horse stance, and channeling Internal Strength throughout the body. I can borrow some of that."
Having mastered the Ancient Mystic Hammer Art, Li Qing was well aware that it didn't focus heavily on refining Vital Energy in the legs. Its emphasis on stance training was primarily during the introductory phase.
"I could incorporate the Light Silk Leg Technique. If I were to stand in a stance that refined Vital Energy to the same extent as the Light Silk Leg Technique, it might yield remarkable results!"
The more Li Qing thought, the clearer his ideas became. Combining this with the Fierce Tiger True Intent Diagram, and the synergistic effects of the Golden Body Technique and Turtle Breathing Art, a Grandmaster-level Martial Art began to take shape in his mind.
"But we don't need to borrow too much from the Golden Body Technique. Achieving the first three levels should be sufficient. Otherwise, mastering this Martial Art would likely take an extremely long time."
As winter arrived, Li Qing, engrossed in creating a new Martial Art, found his understanding of the Martial Dao deepening significantly.
The Divine Intent Realm focuses on refining one's Martial Dao Will.
Li Qing's Martial Dao Will had once again ascended a level.
Finally, on a snowy day, the Martial Art he had been creating was completely formed!
This new Martial Art combined the strengths of several Martial Arts he had learned, encompassing the characteristics of every realm from beginner to Grandmaster.
"This Martial Art shall be called Limitless Art!"
Li Qing's Limitless Art was a Martial Art that cultivated both internal and external aspects. In its early stages, it emphasized physical conditioning. As a Martial Artist aged and their Vital Energy declined, they could then accumulate Inner Strength without compromising their combat effectiveness.
Just as Li Qing was about to record the Limitless Art on a blank bamboo scroll, he suddenly stopped.
A bold idea had struck him!
The moment the thought surfaced, he began to put it into action.
Boom!
Inside the Blacksmith Shop, a roaring fire blazed in the forge.
Li Qing intended to forge weapons—specifically, three peerless divine weapons akin to the Silent Blade, crafted solely through a thousandfold hammering of ordinary iron, without relying on any special materials!
Forging such peerless divine weapons would be an ultimate test of a blacksmith's skill. It demanded not only the craftsmanship to forge divine weapons but also immense strength.
Li Qing, in his current state, possessed both in abundance!
The first weapon Li Qing forged was a slender, exceptionally long sword.
Bang!
With each strike of the Peerless Hammer, sparks flew, melting the thin layer of snow that had accumulated outside the shop into water.
While the sword still glowed red-hot, Li Qing retrieved his Wandering Dragon Dagger and began carving into the blade.
But instead of intricate patterns, he etched dense, minute characters.
Anyone watching intently would be utterly awestruck by the intense Martial Dao aura radiating from Li Qing at that moment!
Indeed, Li Qing's essence, qi, and spirit had merged into one, unleashing a powerful Martial Dao Will.
He was engraving!
He was inscribing the Martial Art he had just created onto the sword's surface!
This meticulous, slow process took a considerable amount of time before finally being completed.
Next came the quenching and sharpening, all done in one fluid motion.
And thus, a fine sword imbued with Li Qing's Martial Dao Will and the legacy of his Grandmaster lineage was successfully forged.
"Born in the snowy heavens, I shall name you Fine Snow Dance!"
The future legendary sword, Fine Snow Dance, was born.
[Successfully forged Superior mundane tool: Fine Snow Dance. Reward: One year of lifespan!]
Repeating this process, the remaining two Peerless Divine Weapons were also completed.
[Successfully forged Superior mundane tool: Shadowless Staff. Reward: One year of lifespan!]
[Successfully forged Superior mundane tool: Calamity-Severing Spear. Reward: One year of lifespan!]
These three Peerless Divine Weapons were crafted from ordinary mortal iron, but they had been forged through Li Qing's countless hammer strikes and imbued with his lifelong Martial Dao Will.
Li Qing gazed at the three magical weapons before him, a satisfied smile spreading across his face.
The dense, intricate inscriptions covering the weapons appeared deeply mysterious, radiating an indescribable sense of intent.
On each weapon, he had used the Wandering Dragon Dagger to carve portions of the Limitless Art's legacy, subtly aligning with the three core aspects of his martial art.
Fine Snow Dance bore the initial sections of the Limitless Art, symbolizing the martial art's light and agile nature.
The Shadowless Staff carried the section of the Limitless Art focused on refining the physical body, symbolizing the martial art's emphasis on robust Vital Energy and the need for rigorous physical training.
The Calamity-Severing Spear contained the internal cultivation manual portion of the Limitless Art, representing the martial art's later stages, where practitioners would transition from Vital Energy cultivation to accumulating Inner Strength as their Vital Energy waned.
Each of these Peerless Divine Weapons recorded a distinct section of the martial art that could be practiced independently.
But once someone gathered all three Peerless Divine Weapons, they would receive the complete legacy of his life's work—the entire Limitless Art!
Li Qing had never seen the martial arts created by other Grandmasters, but he was confident that his Limitless Art would be no weaker than the martial arts of any other Transformed Strength Grandmaster.
"With these three Peerless Divine Weapons, I bid farewell to my Martial Dao path. From now on, I must venture into the unknown Immortal Cultivation World."
Li Qing gently caressed the three weapons with a lingering touch. He could almost foresee the bloody storms that would erupt in the Jianghu and Martial World in the future, all because of these weapons containing the legacy of his martial art.
And so, Li Qing, carrying the three extraordinary Peerless Divine Weapons, stepped out of the blacksmith shop into the swirling snowflakes.
Not long after, in Shengtian, at the Maple Guard headquarters...
A figure in a crimson dress leaned gracefully against a wall, reading a recent intelligence report on the Maple Kingdom's restoration war.
Soon, she raised her head, her eyes lighting up with surprise as she gazed at the tall figure standing at the doorway.
"Miss Qian, I'm here to discuss a deal with you."
(End of the Chapter)
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